Higher education system in India or any country for that matter is a vibrant dynamic system. How well does it acknowledge and accepts diversity and disability is a million dollar question. With the global goal of education for all we teachers in higher education need to play our role pro actively. Are we really ready for making our colleges / universities diversity friendly? The presentation describes the need and steps to be taken towards inclusive higher education.

1. Prof. asmita huddar,
Principal.hacse@gmail.com
Hashu Advani College of Special Education
www.hacse.org.in
TOWARDS INCLUSION IN HIGHER EDUCATION
04/9/21

2. Career option in special education
HASHU ADVANI COLLEGE OF SPECIAL
EDUCATION
(AIDED COLLEGE affiliated to UoM recognized by RCI)
offers:
B Ed (Learning Disability)
B Ed (Hearing Impairment)
• Duration: 2 years
• Eligibility: 50% in any graduation and appearing for
Maha CET (process starts in April every year)
• Medium: English / Marathi
• Campus recruitment
For more info: 022 25531041 / 8976382213

3. INCLUSION IN HEI HACSE
IN 60 MINUTES

4. GOOD NEWS
1. Disability guidelines available on UoM website
http://mu.ac.in/portal/wp-
content/uploads/2016/06/4.29-Disability-
Guidelines.pdf
2. Centre for disability studies (Dept of Ed)

5. ARE WE READY?
INCLUSION
DISABILITY
DIVERSITY

6. Diversity …. A chaos?

7. DIVERSITY…….FINDING SYSTEM IN CHAOS!

8. Text book pledge
India is my country. All Indians are my
brothers and sisters.
I love my country and I am proud of its rich
and varied heritage. I shall always strive to be
worthy of it.
I shall give my parents, teachers and all elders
respect and treat everyone with courtesy.
To my country and my people, I pledge my
devotion. In their well-being and prosperity
alone lies my happiness.

9. We know what diversity is!
Lets make a list of diversifying factors
How are students different from each others?
(classroom diversity)
Language, religion, caste, class, culture, income,
community, intelligence, motivation, attitude,
family income, family literacy level, learning
style…..
___________ and __________
abilities and disabilities

10. And what are various abilities? And
hence disabilities?
Climbing on trees, remembering table of 19,
singing, flying kite, writing with left hand,
knowing directions in unknown areas, swimming,
marketing skills, tech skills,
Ability to see like others
Ability to do math like others
Ability to see tiny fine objects from distance
Ability to link with environment & be a social being
HACSE

11. What do teachers want in their class?
Homogeneity X heterogeneity
teaching learning: simpler teaching learning: better
Objective? Passing the knowledge Objective? Creating the knowledge
Decontextualised learning Linking learning with life skills
Makes students exam ready Makes students life ready
HACSE

12. We have to make a choice, We can
look at diversity
Either as
threat, inferior, problem, waste of time,
misfortune, reason to hate, indifference,
increased burden, weakness…..
OR
OPPORTUNITY, RAISING THE BAR, EXPERIENCE,
SOLUTIONS, REASON TO LOVE, CURIOSITY,
STRENGTH
HACSE

13. Looking at disabilities as-yet another
parameter of diversity!
Not as inferior,
Not as avoidable
Not as end of the road but as a beginning of a journey.
“None of my concern”  “everyone’s concern”
“What can I do”  “Let me try”

14. TAKE HOME POINTS SO FAR…
Diversity exists
It is good
The term diversity also includes the diversity of
disABILITIES.
We need to widen the spectrum of diversity to
fit in disability.
HACSE

15. INCLUSION… It takes all the colors to complete the picture

16. How many pieces would pass through
this frame? Not all! Solution?

17. Solution 1: make as many frames as the shapes
OPTION 1: SPECIAL SCHOOLS
HACSE

18. Solution 2: Cut the pieces to fit into the frame…..
OPTION 2: EDUCATIONAL INTEGRATION

19. OPTION 3: EDUCATIONAL INCLUSION
HACSE
Solution 3: Broadening the frame

20. Let us make a definition of educational
inclusion…..
Educational inclusion means all students with diverse
needs learning under one roof. A system which
acknowledges, manages and draws advantages from
diverse needs without compromising quality.
Key concepts
• Least restrictive environment: opportunity to learn
together
• Zero rejection zero drop out
• Natural proportion
• Barrier – facilitators
HACSE

21. Levels of inclusion
Legal?
Physical?
Academic?
Social?
What do we really want?
HACSE

22. Disability:
visible difference, invisible similarities

23. Touching the base: cross disability
1. Degrees exist:
mild moderate severe profound
2. Types exist (21)
3. Early diagnosis followed by early intervention facilitates development
and functioning.
4. Family participation is the key to success
5. Technology simplifies life
6. Special needs: From generalization to case –to- case basis

24. PWD Act 1995 & NT Act 1999
The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 .
http://lawmin.nic.in/ld/P-ACT/2016/A2016-49.pdf.
REHABILITATIVE PERSPECTIVE (Special Education)
1. Blindness
2. Low-vision
4. Hearing Impairment (deaf and hard of hearing)
7. Intellectual Disability
8. Mental Illness
9. Autism Spectrum Disorder
10. Cerebral Palsy
13. Specific Learning Disabilities
15. Speech and Language disability
19. Multiple Disabilities including deafblindness

25. MEDICAL PERSPECTIVE
3. Leprosy Cured persons
5. Locomotor Disability
6. Dwarfism
11. Muscular Dystrophy
12. Chronic Neurological conditions
14. Multiple Sclerosis
16. Thalassemia
17. Hemophilia
18. Sickle Cell disease
20. Acid Attack victim
21. Parkinson's disease

26. Potential Impact of disability on development and functioning
DISABILITY PRIMARY
AREA/S
AFFECTED
(BIOLOGICAL
REALITY)
AREAS
AFFECTED IF
MAGNITUDE
NOT
MINIMIZED
QOL AS
CHILDHOOD
FUNCTIONING
QOL AS ADULT
FUNCTIONING
NEVER THE
LESS
(unaffected
areas)
LOW VISION Seeing distant /
tiny/ fine /
details
Mobility,
Literacy,
BB & Text
book access
Schooling,
Some part of
learning,
Play
recreation
Higher
education,
employment
Speech,
intelligence,
Personality
strengths
hearing………
BLINDNESS Seeing / visual
orientation of
concepts
Unattended
mobility / self
help/
Autonomy,
self concept/
Language
Schooling,
Learning,
Play, games, sports,
Recreation,
socialization
Higher
education,
Family & social
life,
employment
Speech,
intelligence,
Personality
strengths
hearing………

27. Potential Impact of disability on development and functioning
DISABILIT
Y
PRIMARY
AREA/S
AFFECTED
(BIOLOGICAL
REALITY)
AREAS AFFECTED
IF MAGNITUDE
NOT MINIMIZED
QOL AS
CHILDHOOD
FUNCTIONING
QOL AFFECTED
/ ADULTHOOD
FUNCTIONING
NEVER THE
LESS
(THINGS CAN
BE DONE……
NOW)
Hearing
Impairme
nt
Hearing –
Listening to
sounds, speech
of others and
SELF
Communication,
Language,
speech
Literacy, concepts,
Learning,
Socialization,
Play, games,
recreation
Higher education,
Family & social
life,
employment
Intelligence
Vision
Personality
strengths
talents
Intellectu
al
Disability
Age appropriate
intellectual
functioning
Self help Schooling,
Learning
Age appropriate
social dynamics
School education,
Independence
and autonomy
Senses,
Talents,

28. Potential Impact of disability on development and functioning
DISA
BILIT
Y
PRIMARY
AREA/S
AFFECTED
(BIOLOGICAL
REALITY)
AREAS AFFECTED
IF MAGNITUDE
NOT MINIMIZED
QOL AS
CHILDHOOD
FUNCTIONING
QOL AFFECTED
/ ADULTHOOD
FUNCTIONING
NEVER THE
LESS
(THINGS CAN
BE DONE……
NOW)
ASD Social
interactions
& Behavior
(repetitive)
Interest in
environment
Self care
Verbal and non
verbal
communication
Self concepts,
Learning,
Socialization,
Group activities,
Play, games,
recreation
Worthy
employment,
Fulfilling social
life,
Senses, above
average talents,
Intelligence,
Personal
strengths
CP Movement and
mobility
(with /without
Sensation, vision,
hearing
Concerns)
Speech,
Self help
Self concept,
Learning,
Socialization,
Sports
recreation
independence
autonomy
Personal talents
Strengths

29. Needs of PWDs
POSITIVE
ATTITUDE
CURRICULAR
ADAPTATION
SENSITISED
MANPOWER
ACCESSIBLE
MATERIAL
CLASSROOM
TECHNOLOGY

30. FACILITIES
CONCESSIONS
EXEMPTIONS
RESERVATIONS
EQUAL
OPPORTUNITIES
PROTECTION
OF
RIGHTS
BARRIER
FREE
ENVIRONMENT
FULLEST
PARTICIPATION
OF THE
PERSONS
WITH
DISABILITIES
INCLUSIVE
SOCIETY

31. What will you do to ensure access to these 3? Bringing about
equity 5

33. When we want to see who reached where, don’t
we want to see who started where?

34. ATTITUDE: How does society responds to disability?
How do you respond to disability?
Response to disability is just a part of our responses
to world, environment and life
How do we treat our
Maids? Old ones? Young ones? Women?
Subordinates? Bosses?
Competitors? Neighbors? Rivals? Individuals with
disability?
HACSE

35. Responses to disability
UNDESIRABLE:
• Hesitation/fear;
• Sympathy;
• Overprotection;
• Indifference;
• Superficial acceptance with no initiation
• Discomfort;
• Neglect
• Inconsistency
• Intentional/unintentional underestimation
• Intentional/unintentional overestimation
• Glorification
• Rude and humiliating
• mockery, making fun and teasing
HACSE

36. Responses to disability
DESIRABLE:
• Patience
• Empathy
• Diversity and challenge
• Opportunity to learn
• Experiment
• I can manage
• Let me try
HACSE

37. ARE WE READY?
• We = mainstream colleges in India (normal
colleges)
• Ready = prepared
Are we aligned to the global / national goal of
EDUCATION FOR ALL
Let us review
Let us change

38. AM I BARRIER OR A FACILITATOR?
A hero? Or a villain?

39. Which is in your control?
Which is cheap?
• CURRICULUM
• INFRASTRUCTRE
• STRATEGIES
• MINDSET
1 2
3
4

40. TIPS
• Don’t generalize, use trial and error
• Listen to PWDs and families
• Reach out to professionals
• Understand the difference between special
needs and disability

41. Apply parachute strategy!

42. Rainbow leaflets: Seven students with
special needs

44. Lets revisit our school and college system…
much can be done!!